1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clamping device, and more particularly to a clamping device for clamping and storing bundled items, or cables.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of typical clamping devices have been developed for clamping or storing elongated items, such as electrical cords or cables.
One of the examples of the typical clamping devices has been developed and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,872 to Ginocchio and comprises a handcuff-like element having two pawls to fix or to clamp the electrical cords or cables therein. One of the jaws includes a number of teeth to be engaged in a passage of the other jaw, and to be engaged with a tang of the other jaw. However, the tang is formed integral on the other jaw and may not be suitably molded or formed on the other jaw.
For example, if the materials to form the jaws are stronger or include stronger stiffness, the jaws may not be easily removed from the molds, and tang may be easily bent or disengaged from the jaw while in use. On the contrary, if the materials to form the jaws are softer or weak, or include less stiffness, the tang is not strong enough and may not be solidly engaged with the teeth of the other jaw, such that the items may not be solidly secured or clamped and retained between the jaws.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional clamping devices.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a clamping device including a stronger configuration to stably and solidly clamp and store bundled items, cables, electrical cords, or the like therein.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a clamping device comprising a first jaw and a second jaw each including a hinge end and a distal attachment end, the hinge ends of the first and the second jaws are pivotally secured together with such as a pivot shaft, the attachment end of the first jaw includes a plurality of teeth provided thereon, the attachment end of the second jaw includes a pawl pivotally attached thereto, the pawl includes a catch for engaging with either of the teeth of the first jaw, to detachably secure the attachment ends of the first and the second jaws together. A spring may further be provided for biasing the catch of the pawl to engage with either of the teeth of the first jaw, and thus to detachably secure the jaws together, and to clamp or retain objects or bundled items between the jaws.
The attachment end of the second jaw includes a pivot pin attached thereto and engaged through the pawl to pivotally secure the pawl to the attachment end of the second jaw. For example, the attachment end of the second jaw includes a channel formed and defined between a pair of arms to receive the pawl in the channel of the attachment end of the second jaw.
The spring may be a coil spring and may be engaged on the pivot pin, and may have two ends engaged with the second jaw and the pawl respectively, for biasing the catch of the pawl to engage with the teeth of the first jaw.
The attachment end of the first jaw includes a housing secured thereon by such as welding processes, and having a passage formed therein to receive the attachment end of the second jaw. The first jaw includes a fastener engaged through the housing and the attachment end of the first jaw, to secure the attachment end of the first jaw and the housing together. The housing includes an opening formed therein and communicating with the passage thereof to receive the attachment end of the second jaw.